Statement of
Faith
Our Creator & Saviour
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. Matthew 28:19-20
The Bible is the only authoritative
Preface
The Church of YAHWEH endeavors to carry out the Great Commission by teaching people the Gospel of Yahshua Messiah through evangelism and instruction from the Word of Elohim
The Holy Bible
The Bible, consisting of the Old and New Testaments, is YAHWEH’s inspired Word. Inerrant in its original writing, the Bible is the only authoritative and infallible rule of faith and conduct for humanity.
The Deity
The sovereign deity of the universe is El Shaddai [Almighty], who is to be worshipped in spirit and in truth. He is eternal, infinite, and holy, self-existent Spirit who created, sustains, rules, redeems, and judges His creation. He is one in nature, essence and being. Elohim is revealed in Scripture as Father and Son.
YAHWEH the Father
YAHWEH the Father of whom are all things, whom no one has seen nor can see, reigns in the heavens and transcends our complete knowing. He is revealed as our loving heavenly Father by His Son, Yahshua Messiah. Ultimately, YAHWEH the Father will restore perfect harmony to all creation through Messiah and reign eternally over the redeemed.
Yahshua the Son
Yahshua Messiah is YAHWEH’s one and only begotten Son. As begotten, not created, He shares the nature, names, and attributes of Elohim with the Father. As Son, not Father, Yahshua is subordinate to His Father in rank. From eternity, the Son was with the Father, shared the Father’s glory as the pre-incarnate Word, and with Him created and sustains all things. Yahshua the Messiah was born of the Virgin Mary by the power of Ruach haQodesh [the Holy Spirit], thus uniting two natures — human and divine. Yahshua lived without sin, died as an atoning sacrifice for sin, was entombed for three days and three nights, was resurrected bodily, and ascended to His Father to serve as mediator and high priest. He reigns as Mediator in heaven and will return to earth as judge and king. Now it pleases the Father that the Son is preeminent in all things and receives our worship.
Ruach haQodesh [The Holy Spirit]
The Ruach haQodesh [Holy Spirit] is the promised divine helper who proceeds from the Father and Son. The Spirit [Ruach] is Elohim’s presence and power in the world and indwells believers. By Ruach haQodesh [the Holy Spirit],
Elohim inspired and illuminates the Scriptures; convicts and regenerates sinners; sanctifies, teaches, comforts, guides, and preserves believers; and empowers them for service. Evidences of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life are faith in Messiah, obedience to YAHWEH, and the spiritual fruit of love.
Man, Satan, Sin, and Death
Humanity was created in the image of Elohim as sinless, but not naturally immortal. Sin entered the world when Adam and Eve yielded to the temptation of Elohim’s adversary, Satan. The Devil, capable of transforming himself into an angel of light to deceive and destroy humanity, will finally be destroyed in the lake of fire. As a result of Adam’s fall, all humanity became sinners by nature and by choice. The result is spiritual separation from Elohim, physical death in an unconscious state, and eternal death for those who do not receive salvation in Messiah.
Man, Salvation, and Life
Sinful humanity may be saved from the penalty of eternal death and receive eternal life instead, solely by the grace of Elohim through faith in Yahshua Messiah, apart from human merit, works, or ceremonies. Atonement for sins, with its attendant promise of eternal life, comes through Messiah’s death and resurrection on our behalf and is received in human experience by faith and repentance.
The Church
The church of YAHWEH in Scripture is a spiritual body of believers who hold the faith of Yahshua and keep the commandments of YAHWEH. Under the supreme power of Messiah and the authority of His Word, the church exists universally and locally for purposes of worshipping Elohim, preaching the gospel, nurturing believers, and serving humanity. Believers should participate in the church’s mission by service to others and fellowship with believers.
Ordinances
Messiah prescribed two ordinances that confirm faith in Him: 1) water baptism, preceded by a confession of faith in Messiah and repentance, represents the believer’s initial union with Messiah by depicting death to sin, burial by immersion in water, and rising to a Spirit-controlled life; and 2) last supper, a memorial to Messiah’s atoning death. Believers commemorate Messiah’s death by eating the bread of communion and drinking from its cup, symbols of His broken body and shed blood, thus demonstrating fellowship with our Savior until He returns. It is accompanied by the washing of feet. We observe this Supper annually in the season it was instituted and are charitable toward those who observe it at other times.
The Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments were known and obeyed by faithful people before the law was given at Sinai. Later incorporated into the new covenant by the example and teaching of Messiah, they constitute the basic moral code for humanity and are obeyed to demonstrate the believer’s love for Elohim and his fellowman.
The Sabbath
The seventh-day Sabbath is YAHWEH’s gift to humanity from creation, was written into the Ten Commandments by YAHWEH’s finger, kept and taught by Yahshua, and observed by the apostolic church. A memorial of both creation and redemption, the Sabbath should be faithfully celebrated by believers now as a day of rest, worship, and well-doing.
Marriage
Marriage is an institution of Elohim and is an exclusive lifetime union between one man and one woman for the purpose of perpetuating humanity and enriching human experience. Reflecting the bond between Messiah and His church, marriage may be broken only by sexual immorality. Like the Sabbath, marriage dates to Creation week, is intrinsic to the moral law, is reformed in Messiah’s teachings, and finds its ultimate meaning at His return.
Believer’s Life
Believers are called to holiness in thought, word, and deed and to express faith in Messiah through devotion to Elohim and righteous interaction with others. As a result — not a cause — of redemption, believers should 1) develop relationship with Elohim through Bible reading and study, prayer, fasting, worship, and obedience; 2) relieve the physical and spiritual needs of humanity by compassionate social action and gospel witness; 3) oppose pride, envy, indolence, lust, covetousness, and other evils in the spirit; 4) refuse immoral amusements and practices such as pornography, sexual immorality, and homosexuality in the flesh; and 5) observe these Bible principles: give tithe and freewill offerings for the support of the church and its gospel ministry; eat for food only those meats the Bible describes as “clean”; regard participation in physical warfare as contrary to a Believer’s humanitarian calling; avoid intermixing covenant with extra-biblical practices, as in the common observances of Sunday, Christmas, Easter, Lent, and Halloween.
Prophecy
Bible prophecy preserves and strengthens a believer’s hope for the Second Coming. It identifies religious, social, and political trends and events, including the rebirth of the nation of Israel, which point to the imminent return of Messiah and the eventual establishment of Elohim’s eternal kingdom on earth.
The Kingdom of YAHWEH
The kingdom of YAHWEH (kingdom of heaven) is realized in three phases:
The Present Kingdom
The spiritual kingdom of grace exists now as YAHWEH rules in the lives of obedient believers. This kingdom was announced and revealed through the prophets and the ministry of our Master Yahshua Messiah. We enter this kingdom when we turn from sin to serve Elohim through faith in Yahshua Messiah.
The Millennial Kingdom of Yahshua Messiah
Yahshua will return to earth in power and glory to resurrect the righteous dead, bestow immortality and eternal life upon the resurrected and the living righteous, avenge the saints, and be glorified in them. His earthly reign of one thousand years will be a universal kingdom in which all principalities, powers, and enemies are overcome. At its conclusion, the unrighteous will be resurrected to suffer annihilation at the great white throne judgment.
The Eternal Kingdom of YAHWEH
YAHWEH’s eternal kingdom will begin when Yahshua Messiah, having put all enemies under His feet, turns the kingdom over to the Father. Elohim will dwell with the redeemed in a new heaven and a new earth where no disappointment, defilement, or death can enter and where righteousness and peace will prevail forever.